SECTION ON PRAYER · 51 – GOING TO THE MOSQUE WITH DIGNITY
562 – Abū Sumāma al-Hannāt reported that while he was going to the mosque, Kaʿb ibn ʿUjra came up from behind and caught up with him; he related that they met each other. Sumāma says: "I had interlaced my fingers, and he found me in this state. He forbade me from doing so. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, 'If one of you performs ablution properly, observing its etiquette, and leaves his house intending the mosque, let him not interlace his fingers. For indeed, as he goes to the mosque, he is as if he is in prayer.'" [372]
EXPLANATION
Tashbīk: It is to interlace the fingers of both hands together. Interlacing the fingers during prayer and while in the state of prayer is disliked (makrūh). Outside of prayer, it is not disliked.
563 – It is narrated from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: A man from the Anṣār was on his deathbed. He said, "Shall I inform you of a hadith? But I will only tell it to you seeking reward (from Allah)." He said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "When one of you performs ablution, for every time he lifts his right foot, ten good deeds are written for him, and for every time he puts down his left foot, one of his sins is erased. Whether one of you is near or far from the mosque, if he comes to the mosque and performs the prayer in congregation, his faults are forgiven. If, upon arriving at the mosque, some of the congregational prayer has been performed and some remains, he prays what he catches and completes what he missed, his (shortcomings) are still forgiven. If, upon arriving at the mosque, the congregation has finished the prayer and he performs his prayer, it is as if he has prayed with the congregation."